We love: the Idler Academy

It seems shops are no longer just about buying stuff, we can also drink coffee, eat cakes and even learn something. We love The School of Life and are glad to see this has inspired a new retail and learning concept, The Idler Academy.

Founded by Tom Hodgkinson and Victoria Hull The Idler Academy of 'Philosophy, Husbandry and Merriment', is a bookshop, café and school, which aims to to 'combine the atmosphere of cultivated leisure that distinguished Plato’s Academy with the lively conviviality of the 18th century coffeehouse, and add a good dose of the 1950s grammar school'.

Sounds interesting! It opened last week in London's Westbourne Grove and will offer courses in academic and practical subjects, from Latin to embroidery,book-keeping to ukulele, life-drawing to herb growing, will sell old and new books, pencils, exercise books and protractor sets, packs of playing cards, old-fashioned games and serve delicious coffee and cakes. We will definitely be popping along to take a look and may even take up calligraphy!